Angles - of - Elevation - and - Depression Lesson STEM
Angles - of - Elevation - and - Depression Lesson STEM
8 5
Angles of
Elevation &
Depression
Objectives:
1) To use s of elevation and
depression to solve problems.
Lin
i gh
S
f
eo
Angle of Elevation
Bottom Horizontal
Angles of Elevation
Angle of Depression
Ex.1: of Elevation
Problem
(.466) = Height
80m
(.466)(80) = Height
Height = 37.3m
Ex.2: of Depression
Problem
14ft
(.574)x = 14
x = 14/(.574)
35
x = 24.4ft
plan
e
2 miles
Airport
x
5 miles
Example 1
Before the Mast: At a point on the ground 50
feet from the foot of the flagpole, the angle of
elevation to the top of the pole is 53. Find
the height of the flagpole.
Step 1: Draw a triangle to fit problem
h
opp
SO/H
CA/H
TO/A
h
tan 53 = ----50
50 tan 53 = h = 66.35 feet
Example 2
Job Site A 20-foot ladder leans against a wall
so that the base of the ladder is 8 feet from the
base of the building. What angle does the
ladder make with the ground?
Step 1: Draw a triangle to fit problem
Step 2: Label sides from angles view
x
adj 8
SO/H
CA/H
TO/A
hyp
20
8
cos x = ----20
cos-1 (8/20) = x = 66.42
Example 3
SO/H
CA/H
TO/A
opp
27
x adj
30.5
tan 27 = ------x
x tan 27 = 30.5
x = (30.5) / (tan 27)
x = 59.9
Example 4
DIVING At a diving competition, a 6-foot-tall
diver stands atop the 32-foot platform. The
front edge of the platform projects 5 feet
beyond the ends of the pool. The pool itself is
50 feet in length. A camera is set up at the
opposite end of the pool even with the pools
edge. If the camera is angled so that its line
of sight extends to the top of the divers head,
what is the cameras angle of elevation to the
nearest degree?
Answer: about 39.4
37 = 32 + 6
x
45 = 50 - 5
Example 5
SHORT-RESPONSE TEST ITEM
A roller coaster car is at one of its highest
points. It drops at a 63 angle for 320 feet. How
high was the roller coaster car to the nearest
foot before it began its fall?
320
63
Example 6
A pilot flying at an altitude of 12,000 ft sights
two airports directly in front of him. The angle
of depression to one airport is 78, and the
angle of depression to the second airport is
19. What is the distance between the two
airports? Round to the nearest foot.
19
78
12000
ft
78
19
STEM
integration of
the topic
Plastic/pape
r, tape,
string,
stick/rod,
s ig
e of
ht
difference
in height
between objects
angle of elevation
distance between objects
1. The angle of elevation from point A to the top of the press box is 49. If point A is
400 ft from the base of the press box, how high is the press box?
2. Find the angle of elevation of the sun when a 12.5 ft post casts a 18 ft shadow?
3. A ladder leaning up against a barn makes an angle of 78 with the ground when the
ladder is 5 feet from the barn. How long is the ladder?
4. From the top of the 120 foot fire tower a ranger observes a fire at an angle of
depression of 19. How far from the base of the tower is the fire?
5. A hill is 1000 yards long with a vertical drop of 208 yards. Find the angle of
depression from the top of the hill to the bottom.
1.
2.
Find the angle of elevation of the sun when a 12.5 ft post casts a 18 ft shadow?
Angle; Tan x = 12.5/18
3.
A ladder leaning up against a barn makes an angle of 78 with the ground when
the ladder is 5 feet from the barn. How long is the ladder?
Side; Cos 78 = 5/L L = 5/Cos 78 = 24.05 ft
4.
From the top of the 120 foot fire tower a ranger observes a fire at an angle of
depression of 19. How far from the base of the tower is the fire?
Side; Tan 19 = 120/d d = 120/Tan 19 = 348.5 ft
5.
A hill is 1000 yards long with a vertical drop of 208 yards. Find the angle of
depression from the top of the hill to the bottom.
Angle; Tan x = 208/1000